


Needing You Back Home

by curiousscientistkae



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Its carmivy if you squint lol, Ivy loves Carm but hasn't told her, One-Sided Relationship, Season 4 Spoilers, idk what else
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:56:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28967193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiousscientistkae/pseuds/curiousscientistkae
Summary: Ivy has lowkey been in love with Carmen for a while. But now, Carmen is gone. Kidnapped by VILE. Ivy does not know if she will ever get to tell Carmen how she feels. All the wants right now is to get her friend back safe and sound
Relationships: Ivy & Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep, Ivy/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep
Comments: 5
Kudos: 40





	Needing You Back Home

**Author's Note:**

> more different fandoms from me hell yeah. Anyway, I am a carmivy simp so I wanted to write a little something. Its not like super carmivy but still. And this is my first try and writing them so hopefully its good and yall enjoy. took some liberties because lol
> 
> i forgot to mention the one "fight" scene between Ivy and Carmen I didn't know much what I was doing I tried so :v

She can’t sleep. She hasn’t been able to in who knows how long now. Ivy has lost track of the days she has spent on the rooftop of HQ, staring up at the dark sky, and letting the cool night air nip at her skin. There is not much else to do. Her mind refuses to rest and let unconsciousness win. Even if she could find it, the thoughts will not go away. They will find her in her dreams. Ivy pulls her legs up to her chest and rests her chin on top. 

Carmen is gone without a trace. VILE has taken her and disappeared into the shadows. Waiting for VILE to make an appearance for a chance to locate the missing member of Team Red is agonizingly slow. Player has been doing his best to try and find her. He has been finding just as much sleep as Ivy. Still, nothing. Carmen is just...gone…

Ivy squeezes her leg tighter, nearly crushing herself as she tries to keep herself together. Her friend being gone with no idea if she is okay is not the only thing eating away at her heart. With Carmen gone, there are words that might now never get spoken. Ones the redhead has been longing to say for so long now. 

She has no idea when she fell for Carmen. It happened slowly. Being in awe at her bravery, how selfless she is, and how she never backs down from a challenge if it meant for a better world. Little other things started to grab Ivy’s heart. Carmen’s laugh, her smile, and her smarts. Then, everything hit her at once like a train going at top speed. One morning, seeing Carmen in her pajamas, her guard lowered from being in the safety of HQ, made Ivy’s heart stop cold.

Ivy did her best to lie to herself. That she wasn’t possibly in love with her friend. Carmen is way too cool and amazing and out of her league for that. But after that night in Stockholm, when Carmen was in her lap, shivering and close to death, that was it. The fear of losing the brunette and then the relief when she was no longer in the grip of the Reaper solidified her love. 

Since then, everything Carmen has done has made Ivy fall more and more in love. She wishes she could’ve told her sooner but the time never was right. And Carmen always had so much on her plate, Ivy never wanted to add more to it. But now, she is gone. Ivy might never hear Carmen’s laugh again, maybe never again get to look at those warm, grey eyes, or may never again get to sit right besides the ex-VILE thief and be happy just to share the same space. 

Ivy swears whenever they bring Carmen back home, she will tell her her feelings. Even if she does not return it, something that has caused the redhead to bite her lip and not say anything, having her back is good enough. Having one of her closest friends back will make everything all the better. 

With a deep inhale, Ivy slowly rises to her feet. The cool, California air has caused a shiver to run down her spine. Carmen wouldn’t want her to catch a cold. Especially now. With her not around, it falls to the rest of Team Red to keep up her work. VILE won’t rest so neither should they. Ivy trudges back down to her room, her feet dragging the whole way. Only a few noises can be heard. Her sneakers echoing off the walls, Zack snoring through his cracked door, and the sounds of crickets from outside.

Ivy can’t help but pause at a door right before her own. Her hand reaches out and gives the slightest push. It creaks open at her touch and reveals the neat room of Carmen. Even after leaving her island home where she did not have much in the way of belongings, her room is sparse. One of her many, signature red hoodies lays on her bed, waiting for Carmen to return. Some knickknacks from her travels around the world rest on her dresser. There are some books inside, markers sticking out of the pages. Ivy’s heart twists tight at the sight. 

Part of her wishes to break through the threshold and enter Carmen’s room. Be a little closer to her. But she can’t. Ivy wants the real deal. To be able to wrap her arms around the taller woman and never let her go again. To keep her safe and sound forever. The redhead takes a breath before shutting the door. She makes her way to her own room. Ivy kicks off her shoes before flopping face first on her bed. Her muscles begin to relax but her mind does not. Her eyes stay locked on the window, wondering if Carmen is looking at the same sky as her. 

_ Where in the world are you, Carm? _

* * *

Ivy’s mind wanders. It barely remains in Vienna, where it should be. But all she can think about is Carmen. Three weeks and there still has been no word on her. VILE is good at cleaning up their tracks. It was luck anyone got word about this new heist from the thieving organization. All anyone knows is they are up to something and need to be stopped. Maybe, just maybe, if someone can be captured they can give them the answers they seek. 

“We will find her, Sis,” Zack’s voice breaks silent. Ivy doesn’t bugde. Her gaze stays on watching others walking down the street. “You know she is a tough cookie.”

“The toughest one,” Ivy says foundly. 

“Hey, think about it though. How happy Carm will be to hear we were able to handle a heist by ourselves! Taught by the best and now we can prove it! That’ll be a hell of a story to tell her.”

A small smile spreads across Ivy’s face. “Yeah. She’d be proud of us, wouldn’t she?”

Silence falls between them. What else is there really to say? Ivy tries to focus her mind back onto the mission. Back onto finding out what VILE is up to. However, her mind continues to wander and keeping it on track is a challenge. Thankfully, she does not have to deal with it for long.

“Guys, heard from Shadowsan?” Player’s voice comes through the phone’s speaker. Both Ivy and Zack turn to face the youngest member of Team Red.

“No,” Zack replies. 

“Think something’s wrong?” Ivy asks. 

“Can’t say. He’s not picking up,” Player says. “But get this, I hacked into local surveillance earlier, and my facial recognition software just got this match.”

Ivy’s heart skips a beat at the image of Carmen walking down the streets of Vienna. She is alive and breathing. By the looks of it, she is uninjured.

“Carm’s okay, and she’s in Vienna?” Zack states, confused. 

“Maybe she got loose from VILE here, and she’s on the run?” Ivy suggests.

“Now, where can we find Carm?”

Player gives them the last location the cameras picked Carmen up on. A nearby fairgrounds. Without missing a beat, Zack puts the car into drive and speeds off. The place is only a couple miles away and will take no time at all to reach. As the van heads down the street, passing light after light, Ivy can feel her body begin to shake. She is so close now. So close to reuniting with Carmen. 

Her mind races, part of it wondering why Carmen never contacted anyone. How long has she been free? Did she just break free and has been unable to do so? Or maybe it has been a while and she does not want to risk being recaptured? There is an answer to it for sure but right now, all the redhead cares about right now is getting to Carmen. Those questions in her head can be dealt with later. 

Zack pulls into the first parking spot he finds. Before he has the change to park and switch off the car, Ivy is throwing open the door. Her body moves without her thinking, one thought on her mind.  _ Carmen.  _ Zack follows close behind, quickly catching up to his older sister. Once they have gotten deep within the fairgrounds, the two split up. Hopefully, soon, their trio will be reunited again. 

Ivy races around, her eyes scanning every inch of the area. No Carm anyway. She has to be somewhere here. They couldn’t have been too late, could they? And Player couldn’t have been wrong. Where hope once was in finding Carmen, dread begins to replace it, threatening to become the only emotion in her heart.  _ Please be somewhere. Please! _

She pauses for a moment, taking in her surroundings more. Still nothing at all. Ivy is about to head off again, searching another part of the fairgrounds when everything goes dark.

“Whoa.”

Her gut goes on high alert. Something is wrong. This is no accident, is it? She has to find Carmen, she has to find Zack. In the darkness, through the screams of people wondering what is happening, she continues her search. Ivy squints, trying to get a better sense of her surroundings. Someone bumps into her. All the redhead spots are a flash of colors disappearing. It is far from red. Not Carmen. 

A new noise catches her attention. The shouts of confusion have turned into that of sheer terror. “What?” Ivy snaps her head around. The first things her eyes land on sends the coldest of shivers down her spine. On the highest car of the Ferris wheel, the door has been thrown off and Zack dangles on the ledge. Older sister instincts kick into overdrive. 

“Hang on, Zack!” she shouts. Ivy races as fast as she can towards the Ferris wheel. She has no idea how in the world she will be able to help her brother. All Ivy cares about is  _ getting _ to him. Her heart pounds in her chest and ears. Her lungs gasp for air as her feet move faster than they ever have before. However, it is not enough. To Ivy’s horror, Zack suddenly begins to fall, nothing to break his fall other than the hard, cold ground. A flash of red and green zooms over head as she freezes in place, unable to pull her eyes away from her brother. 

_ No! _

Someone jumps into action. In swift movements, they use the decorations of the fair grounds to swing and catch Zack, bringing him to a safe landing. It can be none other than Shadowsan. Who else can possibly act so fast and quickly? Ivy sighs a breath of relief. She finds her legs once more and jogs towards where her brother now is. As her mind begins to relax from the fright of seeing Zack fall, a new dark thought crosses her mind. That flash of red with a hint of green streaking across the sky after the fall. 

_ It can’t be. She couldn’t have. It’s not her. It can’t be her.  _ Ivy repeats over and over again in her head.

* * *

The ceiling stares back at her. The hum of her oscillating fan fills the air. If her thoughts were bad before, they are at their worst now. There is no such thing as sleep now, no matter how much her body begs for it. How can she sleep whenever she closes her eyes, all she sees is her brother falling to his doom. Falling because of Carmen. 

_ That wasn’t Carm,  _ Ivy reminds herself.  _ That was someone VILE programmed and created. A false Carmen Sandiego. Carm would never  _ **_ever_ ** _ do such a thing.  _

She needs to beat it into her brain. It is a fight to remember this as so many years as an older sister, anyone who dares harm her little brother is an enemy. Ivy hates the fact part of her hates Carmen for doing that. For nearly murdering her brother in cold blood. But she keeps repeating in her mind the fact it is just a lie. The Carmen she has fallen for, the one she longs to have back, she wasn’t the one up on that Ferris wheel. Hopefully, the real Carm is buried somewhere inside that VILE creation. Somewhere, deep, deep down. 

Ivy reaches above her and pulls her pillow from under her head. The second it is placed on her face, she lets out a muffled screamed. Three weeks. Three weeks Carmen has been gone and in VILE’s clutches. Three weeks she has been lied to, manipulated, and been doing god knows what. Things that Carm would never do without becoming sick to her stomach. How can this happen? How can VILE twist someone so good and kind into someone so wicked and cruel?

Once all the air has left her lungs, she keeps the pillow over face. He does not want to face the world. Not without Carmen. Not when the person that has captured her heart has fallen deep into the shadows and there is no way to know if she can be pulled out. From what Shadowsan has said, what has erased Carmen’s mind will not be easy to undo. A pig growing wings might be easier. 

Finally, Ivy removes the pillow and slowly sits up. She keeps the soft object close to her chest, using the fabric to wipe her wet face. With deep breaths, the redhead does her best to calm her body. She needs to keep herself together for Carmen’s sake. Breaking down now will do no one any good. Carmen needs her. Needs her to be here when she comes back. Needs her to not allow VILE to win. 

_ We’ll get you back, Carm. I know the real you is somewhere in there. Just hang on. _

* * *

Ivy zips up her jacket, burying her face as deep as she can in the collar. She didn’t realize just how cold it was going to be in Copenhagen. Her body shakes as it tries to produce some warmth. Pacing around help even if only by a little. She hopes something happens soon, that she does not have to suffer out in the cold forever. But she’ll still do it, freezing and all. Intel says VILE is here. Carmen most likely will be here. How long has it been now since Vienna? Ivy has lost track of the time and hasn’t bothered to try and figure it out. 

She cannot remember what VILE is planning on stealing. She must have been told it a hundred times. Yet, Ivy’s mind always wanders back to Carmen. To hoping and praying she will show up and by some miracle, she can be captured. The redhead shivers, not from the cold but from the thought. The thought of locking Carmen up somewhere, keeping her as a prisoner until somehow, Ivy and the other can figure out how to restore her memories. 

That is just great, isn’t it? The person you love with no inkling of who you are will be your captive and probably hate you even more. Maybe, just maybe, if they can get their hands on whatever Dr. Bellum used on Carmen they can reverse the memory wipe. 

“Fat chance that is gonna happen, Ivy,” she mutters to herself. No one knows where the hell VILE is located now and it’s not like the VILE faculty gets out often. She has to remind herself to take everything one step at a time. Getting Carmen back to HQ, even if by force, is step one. Then they can figure out the rest. 

A noise catches her attention. Ivy snaps her head up. Nothing. Maybe it was just the wind blowing some litter around. The lateness doesn’t help either. Anything can go bump in the night. Ivy is about to go back to her pacing and waiting for a command when a new noise causes the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up.

Her brain takes the steering wheel. She jerks away, feeling the wind blowing past her ear. Ivy staggers to regain balance. The second her feet settle on the ground, she spins around to face the foe that nearly knocked the daylight out of her. 

“Carm!” 

A dark smirk creeps across the brunette’s face. Ivy feels even colder as she stares into the grey eyes she has not seen in ages. There is no warmth in them. No kindness. Just pure hatred. Ivy swallows a lump in her throat. 

“You plainclothes are still following me around. Persistent. Tell me. How’s your partner doing?” Carmen asks darkly. 

“Carm! It’s me! Ivy! I know you gotta be in there somewhere!” Ivy pleads, knowing it will be futile. 

Carmen scoffs before inching her way closer to the redhead. “You two seem to be trying to follow me everywhere I go, you especially. Are you obsessed with me or something? Didn’t know I had an admirer.”

Ivy winces. There is no way Carmen, even as evil as she is right now, could know how deeply that cuts into her. Another swing comes at her in her moment of distraction. Ivy jerks an arm up, shielding her face from a bruise. The brunette quickly pulls away, refusing to give the redhead anytime to react. There is a swift blow to her stomach. 

A curse escapes Ivy’s lips as the wind is forced out of her lungs. It takes all her might to stay on her feet, albeit hunched over. But it is all in vain. Her legs only hold her for barely a second before they come out from under her. Ivy has just enough sense to put one arm out to break her fall, the other clutching her stomach. 

The echo of heels on pavement fills her ears. Ivy looks up, gasping for air, to see Carmen staring down at her. 

“You and your partner are no fun. For people who keep chasing me, you don’t put up much of a fight,” she states. 

Ivy grits her teeth. The real Carmen wouldn’t want her to take a beating sitting down. The real Carmen would want her to fight for what is right and not give up. A small growl escapes her throat as Ivy suddenly finds her legs. They push her off the ground and lunge straight for Carmen. Arms wrap around the taller woman’s waist as the force of the attacks brings them both to the ground. However, Carmen has had  _ years  _ of training under her belt while Ivy only a fraction compared to her.

Boots slip under Ivy’s body, planting firmly on her abdomen. Using the momentum of the attack against her, Carmen launches Ivy off, sending her the other way through the air. The redhead lands with a hard  _ thud _ , her body rolling half a foot before coming to a halt. There is little time to waste and she quickly scrambles to shaking feet. 

“Got some spunk in you,” Carmen states, brushing off some dirt from her red coat. “Finally, a little fun. Though, not by much.”

“C’mon, Carm! I know you are in there somewhere!”  _ You  _ **_have_ ** _ to be in there somewhere. _

Carmen raises an eyebrow. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I’m your friend!” Try as she might to keep her voice steady, it comes out pleading. Like a scared child. 

“You are the farthest thing from a ‘friend’. I don’t know what kind of made up world you are living in to think that.”

Ivy can’t help but laugh to herself. She is one to talk. “I don’t want to fight you, Carm.”

This isn’t how she wanted to meet up with her. There is no way in hell Ivy can win in a fight against Carmen. She was hoping to somehow catch her off guard. Sneaking up and knocking her out or something of the sorts. But Carmen has done that now and has almost quite literally backed the redhead into a corner. Using the corner of her sights, Ivy can see there is only one clear exit. She needs to time this right if she is going to save her skin. Sometimes, you have to retreat in order to live another day. In order to come up with a better plan.

“Yet you have been following me just so we can talk? Well I have had enough talking and would like to get rid of at least one of these thorns in my side.”

Carmen lunges. Ivy has no plans on staying to see what she has in mind for her. The redhead dodges out of the way, making a break for the exit. If there is one thing she knows on how to shake her friend off her tail, it's being seen. If she can just make it to the main street, be under the streetlights and have cars pass her by, Carmen will dare not follow. She will not break her cover. 

She can hear footsteps growing louder and louder behind her. Ivy runs with all her might, throwing her legs out as far as possible for the biggest steps she can take. Over and over again, she curses in her mind. She wishes things were different. That things were not a living nightmare.

Ivy comes to a halt as she breaks into a more public view. Some people are walking about, mostly ignoring her sudden presence. Gasping for air, she turns her to peer over her shoulder. Sure enough, Carmen has disappeared. Looking all around her, there is not a single spec of red to be seen. In safety, she leans back on a stone ball, trying to catch her breath. 

_ Damn it, damn it, damn it! I’m sorry Carm. I wish I knew a way to bring you to your senses. I’m so sorry... _

* * *

“How is she?” Ivy asks, the second Shadowsan enters the other room, giving him not a moment to think. She can’t help herself. She has to know  **now** how Carmen is. If she truly is alright and that the woman the redhead has fallen for is back. The second the message was sent that the brunette has begun to regain her member, Ivy has been unable to sit still. 

She has gotten all the details from Player, who in turn gotten them from Shadowsan. Carmen’s fight with Chase and Julia. Her nearly killing Gray, no word quite yet on how he is fairing. Her fight with her adoptive father figure. Between Gray getting the gears going in Carmen’s mind and Shadowsan using the smallest nesting doll something finally was triggered in her brain. It woke up the true Carmen. ACME will be gearing up to take down VILE as they speak. Other than that, Ivy and Zack have no idea what is going on. 

Shadowsan takes a moment to gather his thoughts. “She is sleeping at the moment. She needs the rest after everything she has been through.”

“How much does she, ya know, remember?” Zack asks. 

“That is yet to be seen. VILE wiped many years of her life, a lot is going to have to be restored. It does not help that she can be in a great deal of agony as her memories come back to her.”

“How come?” Ivy questions.

“Thanks to Dr. Bellum, Carmen has been living in a different reality for half a year. It is now competing with the truth, fighting for the right to be in her mind. It will take time for things to settle.”

Ivy bites her lip. That does not sound pleasant. She shifts on her feet. “Can...Can we see her?”

Shadowsan moves from his spot, gesturing for the siblings to go on ahead. “Try not to disturb her.”

Ivy and Zack enter the other room. The living area is filled in a soft, orange glow of the sunset. Cups, plates, jackets, and other items are left on tables or hanging off of furniture. Despite efforts to keep the place tidy, things have fallen through the cracks. Hopefully, Carmen won’t mind the state of HQ. Speaking of which. 

Her eyes land on the figure lying on the couch. A red blanket is draped over them, covering everything but their neck and head. One arm sticks out, resting on a slowing rising and falling chest. Grey eyes are shut and brown hair hangs loose and covers half of their face. 

“Carm…” Ivy breathes out. She slowly walks over to the long lost member of Team Red. She stops at the edge of the couch Carmen sleeps on. Her face is twisted, a small line of sweat lines her forehead. She mutters something Ivy is unable to understand. 

“I can’t believe she’s back,” Zack says. “This doesn’t feel real.”

Ivy falls to her knees, the weight of her emotions too great. Here she is. After everything that has happened, after trying desperately to reach her, Carmen is back in the flesh. The redhead can’t help but reach up and brush some of the loose, brown locks behind her friend’s ear. Carmen mutters something else and her face softens every so slightly. 

“It is real,” Ivy tells her brother. She places her hand gently on Carmen’s, soaking in the warmth that radiates off of it. Her heart flutters being able to be this close, to touch and hold a part of her once more. Ivy longs to see those kind, grey eyes again but sleep is needed. Nothing will stop the redhead from making sure Carmen makes a full recovery and is well taken care of.

“Do you think she’ll remember us?” Zack asks. 

“Maybe. Hopefully. Even if she doesn’t, we’ll help her remember and all the good times with each other.”

“How are you holding up, Sis?”

“I’ll be alright, Bro,” Ivy wipes a tear from her face. “As long as Carmen is fine, so am I.” 

“We probably should let her rest some more. No need to wake her by mistake.”

“Right.” Ivy doesn’t move right away, rubbing her thumb against the back of Carmen’s hand. After a moment, and a slight squeeze, she stands to allow the brunette to sleep as peacefully as she can.

* * *

It is another sleepless night. Ivy has no idea why her body refuses to rest. It’s just ‘one of those nights’ she assumes. Everyone has them, where for no rhyme or reason, eyelids remain light and the body alert. Ivy really isn’t in the mood to just lay about bed and wait for the sun to come up. Walking around might burn off some energy anyway. Maybe some fresh air will also. 

Ivy makes her way up the stairs that lead to the rooftop. She does not think much of heading to her usual spot when she cannot sleep. Her body moves automatically and pushes open the door. After several steps forward, she becomes surprised to see that she is not alone. Near the edge, head tilted upwards, is a figure cladded in red. Carmen takes no notice of the new being up on the roof with her. Either the wind must’ve drowned out the sound or she is far too lost in her own mind to pick up on it. 

Ivy debates for a moment if she should disturb the brunette or not. She shifts her weight from foot to foot before deciding to move towards Carmen.

“Carm?” Ivy asks, a couple feet away. 

There is another surprise. Carmen  _ jumps  _ at the sound of her name being spoken. Ivy cannot recall at all startling her friend, even by accident. When Carmen spins around to face her, the redhead says, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to spook ya.”

A soft sigh escapes Carmen’s nose. “It’s fine. I was just lost in thought. What are you doing up at this hour?”

“I can ask you the same thing.” Ivy walks closer so she is right besides the taller woman. She takes a seat down on the rooftop, legs crossed and arms outstretched behind her. “I couldn’t sleep, is all. You?”

Carmen plops down as well. However, she keeps her legs close to her chest, arms wrapped around them. “Couldn’t sleep either.”

There is a hint of sadness to her voice, one Ivy just is able to pick up on. It has only been a couple days now since Carmen has returned and woken up. She slowly has been remembering things and it took a couple tries for her to correctly get the redhead’s name. It hasn’t been the fastest process, helping her recall things but there is no need to overload her already struggling mind. Ivy wonders what it must be like for Carmen these past couple days, relearning. 

“Hey, Carm. You alright?”

“I’m fine, Ivy.”

“You don’t sound fine.” Ivy shifts closer. She wraps an arm around Carmen’s shoulders, pulling her in closer. “I’m your friend. I’m here for you. You can tell me anything. And if you want me to keep my lips sealed,” Ivy reaches her free hand up and motions pinched fingers across her lips, “I won’t tell a soul.”

Carmen chuckles lightly. The sound of her laugh, even if soft and hushed, warms Ivy’s heart. It’s wonderful to hear it again after such a long absence. Ivy can’t help but smile. “So what’s the matter? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Carmen takes a moment before answering. “I did...terrible things these past few months...I couldn’t stop thinking about them. If I am being honest, I haven’t slept much. Thought some air would help but...it hasn’t.”

There is another pause. Ivy debates if she should say anything as Carmen’s words settle in, but the brunette continues before she has the chance. “I almost killed Zack, Ivy. If Shadowsan hadn’t been there…” 

Carmen pushes out of Ivy’s embrace and wipes tears away that form at the edges of her eyes. Another surprise of the night. Ivy’s heart twists at the sight. If things got to Carmen, she normally is one to keep it under wraps. Even now, she still is trying to mask what really is going on inside of her. The guilt she now must be feeling for the deeds she did. She should not bear that burden alone on her shoulders. Even someone as tough as Carmen needs help lifting a load. 

“It’s not your fault, Carm,” Ivy says gently. She places a hand on Carmen’s back, slowly rubbing it up and down the fabric of her jacket. “VILE are the ones to blame. They controlled you so you could do their binding.”

“I still hurt people. I hurt you. I remember that night in Copenhagen. You tried to reason with me but I didn’t care at all. I...I would have done more if you hadn’t bolted like you did.”

“No one is mad at you. We all know the real Carmen is nothing like that. The  _ real  _ Carmen Sandiego is brave, loyal, kind, smart, wonderful...a one-of-a-kind! No one in the world can compete with how amazing you are and how much you want to change the world for the better!” 

Honestly, Ivy could go on and on. Probably talk Carmen’s ear off with all the love and admiration she has for her. Hell, she could talk until the sun rises and still keep going. She stops short, though. As much as she wants to keep her promise to herself to spill the beans, this definitely is not the right time. At the moment, Carmen needs a shoulder to lean on and does not anything else on her messy plate. If the redhead can be here for her friend, then that is more than good enough for her.

Ivy gives her a little nudge. “I know what I say might not make you feel any better. It must suck to remember the things you did while under VILE’s control. But me, Zack, Player, Shadowsan, Julia, and even Chase are here for you. We all wanted to see you come back and now you are. And whatever you need, we are here to help in any way we can.”

A small smile appears on Carmen’s face. Nothing like that dark one Ivy saw all those months ago. There is a warmth to it. Her grey eyes soften. All these little moments take Ivy’s breath away. 

“Thank, Ivy. I honestly don’t know what I would do without you guys. Thanks for never giving up on me, even after everything I did.”

“It’s no big deal! You’d do the same for us.” Her arm wraps back around Carmen, which the brunette does not protest. “Family sticks together through thick and thin after all.”

“I couldn’t ask for a better one.”

“So, is there anything else you need. I doubt I will be sleeping anytime soon so I am all ears.”

“Staying here is good enough. If you don’t mind.” Carmen rests her head on Ivy’s shoulder, causing her heart to skip a beat.

Ivy gives a small squeeze. “‘Course, Carm. Anything for you.”

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are appreciated


End file.
